Is it cheaper to live in Reno or Virginia Beach?

Reno, NV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 13% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,550, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Reno than in Virginia Beach?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Reno versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.

Which has lower taxes, Reno or Virginia Beach?

Reno is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); Virginia Beach under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax).

Reno vs Virginia Beach Cost of Living 2026

Reno

Nevada

$1,350/mo est.

Virginia Beach

Virginia

$1,550/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,350 in Reno, NV versus $1,550 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Reno, NV is roughly 13% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $78,448 in Reno, NV and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 13% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Reno, NV

Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio

$964

$1,496

+55% in Virginia Beach, VA

1 Bedroom

$1,206

$1,357

+13% in Virginia Beach, VA

2 Bedroom

$1,518

$1,559

+3% in Virginia Beach, VA

3 Bedroom

$1,885

$1,857

+1% in Reno, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$498,600

$366,300

+27% in Reno, NV

Income

Median Household Income

$78,448

$90,685

+16% in Virginia Beach, VA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,660

$49,430

+0% in Reno, NV

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.3 yr

37.4 yr

+0.1 yr in Virginia Beach, VA

Homeownership

49.4%

64.9%

+15.5 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

35.7%

40.4%

+4.7 pp in Virginia Beach, VA

Avg Commute

20.6 min

23.2 min

+2.6 min in Virginia Beach, VA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

528.9

96.9

+82% in Reno, NV

Property Crime

2,489.3

1,664.9

+33% in Reno, NV

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

53.8°F

59.9°F

+6.1°F in Virginia Beach, VA

Annual Precipitation

7.4 in

44.3 in

+36.9 in in Virginia Beach, VA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.09/gal

$3.86/gal

+24% in Reno, NV

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.00

Adult base one-way fare — — vs HRT (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.6

17.6

+29% in Virginia Beach, VA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$12.09

$23.66

+96% in Virginia Beach, VA

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Reno, NV

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Reno, NV

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Virginia Beach, VA

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Reno, NV

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Reno, NV

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Reno, NV

Average prices — West vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NV / VA)

6.85%

5.3%

+1.5 pp in NV

Income Tax (top rate)

None

5.75%

+5.8 pp in VA

Reno vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Reno or Virginia Beach?: Reno, NV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 13% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,550, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Reno than in Virginia Beach?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Reno versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Reno or Virginia Beach?: Reno is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); Virginia Beach under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).